The Lantern Holder

The Lantern Holder

Chapter 6

By Aryn

Three weeks later....

Nari sat in front of the computer and stared at the blank screen, working up enough courage to see what it contained. Heero sat next to her, never saying a word. She had asked if he wanted to see what was on the disk, and since a pilot needed to watch over her, she hoped he would agree. Luckily he did.

Heero cleared his throat quietly. "Would you prefer to see this alone?"

"No, it doesn't really matter." Nari answered. She had survived turning herself in and facing a dream that shattered already today. So what could be on a disk that would upset her? Finally, she leaned forward and flipped the machine on, waiting for it to boot up. She inserted the disk, and waited. It didn't take long for the screen to turn into snow and slowly give way to a picture. It was Adin Lowe. Nari let a small smile tug at her lips. Her father...the only stability and love that was ever shown to her in her life. How she missed him.

Heero watched the picture of Adin with aloofness. He was not about to show how he was feeling on the moment. Seeing the only man that he could even refer to as a type of father brought many bitter feelings to the surface. Crossing his arms across his chest, Heero sat back in the chair and tried to concentrate on the message.

"If Heero gave this disk to the correct person, which he is very reliable, then you should be sitting in front of the computer, Nari. If this is not Nari, then what I have to say will make no sense to you whatsoever." Adin began. "I'm sorry to have deceived you for so long, but I felt that it was necessary. I only wish that I could have told you this in person." Adin took a deep breath. "I'm not your father Nari. You're real father was Heero Yuy, the pacifist leader of the colonies. OZ thought him to be a threat and ordered his assassination. I'm sorry to say, I was the one that they ordered to do the job. Once I had shot him, I saw his wife rush into my sights. I already had misgivings about the whole mission, and the sight before me seemed too much. So I shot her as well. It wasn't until I was on my way home that I heard the news announcement. People from the far reaches of the universe were rushing to the aide of the orphaned Yuy child." Adin shook his head sadly. "There was never any mention of a child. Had there been, I would have refused the job. I tried to make amends by going to the Yuy's household and kidnapping the child, promising to care for the her as my own. But it wasn't long till a young boy was given to me to train. I was unable to care for the child and had to find someone else to care for her. So I gave you to my brother, Javin Lowe. I hope he has taken good care of you. I loved you as my own daughter and I wish you the best." Adin kissed the palm of hand and held it up to the screen before the snow returned and the computer shut off. Both young people sat in stunned silence. Heero knew Adin's role in the Yuy assassination, but he didn't know about the child. Nari didn't move a gundanium muscle. She was beginning to understand Javin's deception and treachery concerning her. He didn't know what to do with her so he used her as an experiment.

Heero heard a small sound at the door and turned around as if a gunshot had gone off. Arys stood at the door, leaning against the frame.

"Hey." she smiled in greeting.

"Hey." he replied, standing up and going over to her.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Facing down ghosts of the past." he answered.

Arys watched as the haunted look passed in his eyes and a look of relief replaced it. "Just so you know you don't have to face them alone." Arys told him.

"I know that." Heero answered, smiling down at her.

"Nari." Arys called.

The dark-haired girl's head turned slightly towards Arys' direction.

"Quatre was looking for you." she said. "He's in the gardens."

Nari slowly rose to her feet and strode past the couple. She made it to the end of the hallway and looked back the couple.

"Don't worry about it." Arys said, waving the other girl on. "You don't need a pilot to accompany you every step of the way."

Nari offered Arys a grateful smile and left the two alone.

"So, you gave her the disk." Arys stated.

"Yes, I did."

"So what did it have on it?"

"The truth about her past. She was the daughter of the real Heero Yuy before she was placed in the gundanium body."

"Heero Yuy? The leader of the colonies?"

Heero nodded his head.

"Whoa."

________________________

Quatre sat by one of the fountains in the many gardens of the Peacecraft Palace. They reminded him of the Maganac Desert base. Since they were only a short shuttle ride away from the New Sanc Kingdom, perhaps he should stop by and see his Arabian friends.

"Quatre."

The blond turned around to see Nari standing there.

"Arys found you." he greeted.

"Yes. She said you wanted to see me."

"Would you like to walk around the gardens?" Quatre asked, offering her his arm.

"I would love to." she said, standing next to him, but not taking his offered arm.

Quatre reached down and gently took her hand in his and laid it in the crook of his arm. "It's okay." he assured her.

Nari walked beside him, concentrating hard on not applying too much pressure on her kind host's arm. "What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked him.

"How would you like to be human again?" he asked her.

Nari stopped abruptly. "How can you do that?"

"Well, I got in contact with a couple of my friends and showed them the body in status. They don't see any problem with bringing the body out of status and downloading your chip into that one." Quatre explained.

"What about Inazuma's mind that's in the chip?" Nari asked.

"The computer chip can be erased, same as any computer chip. But that's all I really know right now." Quatre shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "But the two doctors want to meet with you later on tonight so they can explain everything in detail."

"Thank you Quatre." Nari said, smiling brightly.

"Don't thank me yet, I haven't done anything."

"No, you've done more for me in the past twenty-four hours than I can ever hope to repay."

Quatre looked down at her with a skeptical look.

"You've given me hope. That alone is a priceless gift."

"Hope is a very precious thing. Something that people can't live without. I'm glad I was able to give you such a thing." Quatre said, pulling her in his arms. She watched as he moved in and placed a kiss on her forehead. Closing her eyes, she gently laid her head on his shoulder, trying to cherish the touch that she couldn't feel.

__________________________

Sally Po wandered around the large room that served as a meeting place in the Palace. Quatre had asked her to meet with Nari and explain on the details that were involved in the procedure. As she stared out at the sunset, she wondered if they could really pull this off. If it were possible, then the medical field would expand phenomenally.

"You seem deep in thought, Dr. Sally."

Sally turned to see Iria, Quatre's older sister walk into the room.

"Yes." Sally agreed. "I was thinking about what it might mean for the medical field if this procedure works."

"I was thinking about that too." Iria said, sitting down at the table. "We could take a person out of a dying body and place them into a healthy body. It sounds great, but is it really ethically?"

"Ethically?" Sally asked.

"We're human for a reason. And being human means having to face death. It's the way of life. Death also keeps us from over populating the world. What happens if we take away that factor?"

"We would end up throwing off the balance of the universe." Sally said as the realization hit her. "You're right. But it could still be used for good."

"Just like anything can be used for the good of people. It can also be over-used."

The door to the room opened, cutting the conversation of the two women short. Quatre walked in with a nervous looking young woman with short, dark hair.

"Sally, Iria," Quatre greeted with a smile and nod, "this is Nari. Nari, this an alliance medical doctor Sally Po, and this is my sister, Dr. Iria Winner."

Nari smiled a small smile and nodded to both women. Quatre sat down next to her as Sally stood up to begin.

"We've looked over the body in stasis and it seems to be perfectly healthy. We also checked the chip in the brain and were able to access it. The set up is really simple." Sally explained. "All we would do is wipe the chip in the human brain and replace the information with your information."

"The procedure is just as simple." Iria broke in. "It would be like a regular surgery. In order to perform it, we'll be putting you to sleep and when you wake up, you'll be in the human body. However, it will take some getting used to. Coordination, visual, tactile and muscle use will cause the most problems, but with rehab you'll be fine."

"Well?" Quatre asked her.

Nari remained strangely quiet, lost in thought. She felt as if she was in a stupor. She had just heard her life long dream be explained in a very attainable way. It seemed too good to be true. However, she would never know unless she accepted this offer of help.

"How soon could you start the procedure?" she asked the two doctors.

"Tomorrow morning." Sally answered, looking over at Iria, who nodded her head in agreement. "Just come down to the lab tomorrow morning around seven."

"Thank you for trying this." Nari asked. "I really do appreciate it, and a thank you doesn't seem enough."

"Thank us when you wake up in the human body." Sally told her.

_____________________________

Quatre and Nari walked along the beach, ankle deep in the surf. The pending sunset turned the water a fiery red and orange. Nari knew this quite possible could be her last sunset. If the transfer didn't go well tomorrow, she wouldn't have to worry about the pain of rehab. But the thought of feeling the surf against her calves, the sun on her face, the wind, anything, was a wonderful dream that now was about to become a reality. And it was all because of Quatre. Nari stopped and stared at the blond-haired boy as he continued his walk down the beach, not noticing she had stopped. His gait was slow and relaxed as he gazed out at the ocean. She remembered their first talk, when he had claimed to be in a dark mood. If he was ever in another mood, he never showed it to her. A small smile tugged on her lips. She owed everything to him. But for some reason, she never felt as if she had to pay him back for it. He was so kind.

Quatre stopped his walk when he didn't hear Nari behind him. Turning around, he found her staring at him, head slightly cocked to one side and arms hung loosely at her sides with a small smile on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked her, walking over to her.

"Nothing." she shrugged, still standing where she was.

"Are you sure?" Quatre asked, staring down at her.

"Positive." she affirmed, trying to stifle a large grin.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes, I am. If I don't take this chance, I might never be human again." Nari looked down at the ocean water that swirled around her feet. Tomorrow she would be able to feel it. "And if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here now, facing tomorrow."

Quatre took at step closer and slowly raised a hand to her face. Nari fought the urge to take a step back, his blue eyes seemed to pin her to the spot. Even though she couldn't feel his hand on her cheek, she could see the movement of it as held her face in his hand.

"You won't be facing tomorrow alone." he whispered, leaning down.

"I know." she answered.

Quatre lowered his head and gently kissed her on her cold, steel lips. He felt the feather light touch of her hands as she careful placed them on his shoulders. Nari attempted to imagine what this would actually feel like; his lips against hers, his hand on her face while the other was around her waist. Quatre broke the kiss and pulled Nari into his arms, holding her close to him.

"I'm sorry." he whispered in her ear. "I know you can't feel that."

"But you can." she whispered back, resting in his embrace.

"If tomorrow doesn't go right..." Quatre trailed off.

"Don't worry about tomorrow." Nari assured him. "If it works, my dream came true. If I die, then I die happy."

<But I won't be.> Quatre thought to himself.